Today we’d like to introduce you to Hollie Tracey.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I always had a personal Instagram account that I would use to upload photos of me and my friends, but I never thought of using it as a form of self-expression until I started following other accounts with similar interests to me. I always loved vintage fashion and music my whole life, but because I was too worried about what other people thought of me, I never expressed it, simply finding it easier to just wear what everyone else was wearing. These girls I started following on Instagram would not only dress in vintage fashion, but they would also make their photos look like they were taken in that particular time period. I had never seen this done before and found it absolutely fascinating. I also noticed, through these accounts, that there were a lot of other people like me, who enjoyed similar music and fashion and would show so much love and support to each other through this community. This really inspired me at the time to start expressing myself more, and through Instagram, I was able to gain that confidence and support to enable me to do so. Now, I’m no longer ashamed of my style and feel confident wearing whatever I want, knowing that there are so many people out there supporting and encouraging me.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
To me, one of the biggest challenges of having a lifestyle platform is feeling like you aren’t good enough. I remember when my account reached 100 followers and, at the time, I felt so happy and amazed that so many people enjoyed looking at my photos. Now, I find myself a lot of the time looking at other accounts with 13k followers, who are doing the same thing as me, and wondering why so many people like them and not me. I always need to remind myself that the amount of followers on your Instagram account doesn’t define who you are. I feel that this is something a lot of people in this generation will go through at some point, but if you are passionate about something enough, then it really shouldn’t matter if you have 10k followers or 100 followers. You should do what makes you feel good, regardless.
what should we know about @hollietracey? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
As mentioned previously, I absolutely love vintage style, particularly the 60s and 70s. I love bands like The Beatles, The Monkees, The Kinks, The Beach Boys, etc. And I draw a lot of inspiration from artists and models at that time, from Pattie Boyd to Janis Joplin. I try to incorporate a lot of this style into my photos, wearing vintage style clothes, putting certain 60s or 70s songs in my captions, and making the photo, itself, look like it was taken in that era.
What do you feel are the biggest barriers today to female leadership, in your industry or generally?
I, personally, do not feel that women have any more barriers to following their dreams than men do. I feel that it is all down to how much that girl will believe in herself, and how hard she is willing to work for it. If a girl has passion and dedication to something, then I feel she has just as much of a chance of getting there as men do.
Contact Info:
- Email: holliet5@live.co.uk
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hollietracey/
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